Animal holding apparatus



Nov. 24, 1959 Rv. R. GREENwooD 2,914,026 E ANIMAL HOLDING APPARATUS vFiled Dec. 23, 1957 INVENTOR kay/Wma /Q me/Wand BY L/ Arme n 2,19121326e ANIMAL nomino APPARATUS Raymond R. Greenwood, Blythedale, Mo.

L 4Application neember 23, .1 957, serial No. 704,387

gemme@ (tcl.` 11a-10s) L Thisfinvention relatestovaciamping device and,more 2,914,026 ,e Patented nov. 24, 195e the riprovisionof, a relatively:inexpensive animal holding particularly,4 to apparatus for holdingsmall :animals invLthenature o'f"pigsr orthe likelwhile certain medicalop-v "erations are beingjiperformed on thesarne,` and which y wouldnormally require theperson performingthe operation to hold thefanimalwhile at the same time attempt- :in g to carryout the operation. t

`Heretofore, the castratlon of smallV animals such as pigs has requiredthatat least two persons participiate ien theoperation, inasmuch asitivas,` necessary `for one` Ipersonwto hold the,3 animal while theotherperson operated the `inst`ruments.` AManifestly, this procedure wasexpensive, time consuming and many times impractical.

It is`,`therefore, the'rnost important object of this invention to.provide apparatus for holding animals such l as pigs ina readily'accessible'position so that operations in thenature of castration maybecarried out by onev4 'j person in a minimum of time Vand without in anymanner endangering the animal duringsuch operation; v n Anotherimportantobject of this invention is to provide apparatus for holdingsmall animals during medical operations which vincludes a verticallyshiftable platform felamp; and

Figi 3 is a fragmentary, vertical, cross-sectionalview 14.a`nd securedto base 16.

device which has fewr movable pai-tais of rugged construction andtherefore, not liable to breakdown, and of relativelysmall dimensions`sothattllle same may be stored 'in a small `space. 4 t" Intheldrawingrr" y y Figure l is an end elevational View of animal holdingapparats embodying theconcepts of the present invention andillustrating'the same mounted in position on a 10 suitablesupportf "witha smallV animal, such asta pig, shown inLphantonr and disposed' u'ponthe platform Vof the apparatus; Fig-'21 Vto in Figll andfshovving thesame in its normal position when the ypig has been removed from theplatform and whichjthereby causes Ythe latter to move -toward theuppermost endof itspath of trave1,thus opening the taken on the line 3-3oflFig. 1.

J Apparatus 10 is especially adapted for permitting one 'man tooperateon and, more particularly, castrate small "pigs 12v or othersimilaranimals, and includes as basic "components a platform I4 reciprocablycarried by a base 16, and clamp means 18 swingably mounted on platformPlatform 14 is preferably substantially V-shaped intransverse"cross-section and therefore includes a pair of` outwardlydiverging rectangular sides 2@ and 22 which are interconnected at theirlowermostmargins by a norlmrn'ally horiontal base panel 24. A pair ofparallel rods 26 and2 8 are suitably secured to and depend from theundersidellof panel 24 and are reciprocably received with- `incorresponding cylindricalV bearings 30 and 32 welded on theupper face ofpolygonal, horizontal leg 34 of vbase'l16 in alignment with respectiveopenings 36 in leg adapted to support the animal in a readily accessibleposi-A l tion, `and avclamp swingably mounted on theplatformand'rriovable to a position clamping the animal on the platformresponsive to` 'shiftingmovementof the plat- `form,f,whereby the' weightof the animl on the platform is utilized to maintain rthe clamp 4inposition against the animal. e

Another important object. of this invention relates to provision ofapparatus as described wherein the clamp swingablymounted on theplatform is always maintained `in clamping engagement with*V the animalon the platform so long as the. animal remains disposed on the platform,by virtue of the provision of a link interconnecting theelamp andlabaseuponlwhich the platform is recipro- `cably mounted'. f

34,'and ywhich also receive rods 26 and 23;' As clearly shown-'in Fig.`l, rods 26 and 23 are substantially longer than'bearings 30 and `32 Asothat the same extend out- 40"wardly f'ro'm both -ends of correspondingbearings 30 and 32. Coil springs 38 and` 4i) are preferably provided'around each'of-the rods 26 and'28 and are interposed between `the lowerface of panel 24 and theMpperends ofcrresporiding bearings 30 and 32for'bia'sing platform 154 toward the uppermost endl of its path oftravel. I

Base' 16 is substantially L-shaped in transverse cross'- section andtherefore includes Aa polygonal, vertical leg 42 disposedperpendicularly to leg 34, and a substantially -Another importantobjectof the invention is the pro`A f visiori'of spring nietanslifnterposedbetween the'vertically shiftable platformand rthe base upon which theplatform isreciprocably mounted, to the end that the platform is biasedtoward the `uppermost end of its path of trave] to thereby maintain theclamp in an open position so long I`as' the platform remains at theupper end of its path "of travel, and thereby'permitffan'animal yto bereadily inserted into4 posit'in dpon `thelplatform and beneath theswingable'clarnp.

" Other important objectslof'the vinvention relate to the -provision ofavsubstantially V-shaped platform so that the pig drother smallanimal isfirmly held in a readily accessible position; tothe provisionofresilient means vsecured to the under face of that portion'of the clamp,Fno'rmally overlying the `platform and which engages the'v "pigtothereby prevent thesame from squirming off `of the platform during theoperation; tothe provision of 1 hook means on the baselofhthe apparatusso that `the same s `may* be quickly positioned upona wall or the likewithout e permanent means of attachment being necessary; and toI-sha'ped 'hook lbroadly designated 44 is joined 4to leg 42 vby virtueofsection 46 of hook 44 being integral with the uppermost margin of leg42, While section 48 of 4'tinck' r44vdepends from and is integral withthe outer- VYmost margin `of section 46 remote from vleg 42.

'noted that section 48 preferably extends the entire length of leg 42butis o f substantially less width than leg 42. Bearings 30 and 32 are'preferably positioned intermediate:-leg 42 and outermarginal edge 50 ofleg 34 and in .e this mannerga rectangular equipment box 52 is securedtothe upper face of 'leg`34 between edge 50 and bearings 30 and 32.Angularly disposed bracing rods 54 interconnect legs 34 and 42 to impartrigidity to base 16.

Sides 20 and 22 of platform 14 are preferably provided y Awithrectangularslots 56 and 5S respectively which ex- `tend inwardlyI fromthe upper marginal edges of sides 20 and 22, and an elongated, arcuateclamp 60 is pivfotally mounted intermediate its ends on side 22 withinVslot 58 bylvirtue of suitable hinge means 62 secured to "th'e underface of clamp 60 and adjustably mounted on the inner surface of side 22across slot 58. Clamp 60 isofsuicient length thatthe end 64 thereofextends j'across platform 14fand beyond side 20 so that upon swinging'movement ofend.64 to the lowermost point of "1s aA perspective Viewofthe apparatus referred eyelets 74 and 76 pivotally disposed within eyebolts 68 and 70 respectively.v It is to be noted. that link y72 is ofsuflicient length that when platformf1`4 vis at the uppermost end of itspath of travel, as illustrated-,in Fig. 2, clamp 60 is thereby swung toits open position, as also clearly shownin this figure. A rectangularpieceof flexi- .n `ble material 78 is secured tothe concave underside ofclamp 60 which normally overlies platform In operation, apparatus 10 isyadapted Vtofbe quickly and easily mounted in an operable positionv*upon an elongated, horizontally disposed member. 80 inthe nature l ofa 2" X 4". Thereupon, a small pig 12 or other similar l animal may beeasily placed in position on platform 14 by virtue of the fact thatclamp 60 has beenmoved to its open position, as shown in Fig. 2, thisbeing true because of the link 72 connecting end 66 of-'clamp 60 withleg 34 of base 16, link 72 being of predetermined `length to assure thatupon movement of platform lltov the uppermost end of its path of travelunder the influence of springs 38 and 40, clamp 60 is swung to an open.position.

Animal 12 is normally placed upon platform 14 on its back with its feetextending upwardly, as shown in Fig. l, and it can be appreciated that`as the weight of the pig 12 on platform 14 moves the latter downwardlyagainst the action of springs 38 and 40, clamp 60 is likewise swungabout the axis of hinge 62 tov move into engagement with the exposedbelly of animal 12. Link 72 again operates to cause clamp 60 to be swungdownwardly toward paltform 14 as the latter is shifted downwardly underthe weight of pig 12 and, as the outermost end 64 of clamp 60 isreceived within slot v56 of side 20, resilient or exible material 78 onclamp 60 engages animal 12. Clamp 60 will remain in engagement withanimal 12 so long as the weight ofthe latter remains on platform 14 andtherefore, the castration operationmay be readily performed. a

After completion ofthe operation,y removal of the animal may be quicklyeffected by moving the same upwardly to relieve the pressure on platform14, whereupon springs 3S and 40 automatically biasplatform .14 upwardlytoward the uppermost yend of its path of travel Y which thereby alsoopens clamp 60 to clear thel animal as :animal 12 to be placed uponplatform 14.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed .as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is: 1. In animal holding apparatus, a`base;a substantially V-shaped platform shiftably mounted on said plateand movable along a substantially vertical path of travel, said platformbeing adapted to support the animal in an accessible position; springmeans interposedbetween said platform and the base for biasing thelplatform toward the uppermost end of its `path of travel; an elongatedclamp swingably mounted intermediate its ends yon said platform; and anelongated rod connected to the end of said clamp remotefrom saidplatform and tothe base,

said clamp being swingable from normally 'open disposi- 4ation-to alocation extending across the upper Open portion of the platform andfirmly clamping the animal in said position responsive to verticalshifting 4o'f the platform toward the lower end of its path of travelunder the weight of the animal and against the action of said springmeans.

2. In animal holding appartus, a substantially L-shaped plate providedwith a horizontal leg; an upwardly facing V-shaped platform havinga-pair of elongated, inwardly convergingvsides; `a Vpair 4of elongated,spaced, parallel bars depending vfrom the underside of said platform andreciprocably carried by said ,leg of ythey plate, 'said platform and thebars being shiftable along a substantially vertical path of'travel, Ytheplatform being'adapted to support the animal in an accessible position;an elongated clamp swingably mounted intermediate its ends on the uppermargin of one of said sides of the platform. the inner end of said clampbeing movable into transversely overlying relationship to the platform;and an elongated rod, one endof the yrod zbeing pivtally connected `tolthe outer Aend of said clamp 'and fthe other end ofthe frod beingpivotally coupled with said leg ofthe plate. -`said clamp beingswingable from normally open disposition to a location extending acrossthe upper o'pen portion of the platform and firmly clamping the animalin said position responsive to vertical shifting of the platform towardthe lower end of .its lpath of travel undel the weight Vof the animal.,

3.. In animal holding apparatus, a substantially l.- shapedr-base plateprovided with a horizontal leg; an upwardly facing V-shaped platformhaving a pair of elongated, inwardly convergingsides; a pair ofelongated, spaced, parallel bars depending from the underside of saidplatform and reciprocably carried vby said leg of the plate, saidplatform and/the bars being shiftable 'along a substantially verticalpath of travel, the platformubeing adapted to support the animal in anaccessible position; a coil spring surroundingeach bar respectively andinterposed between the platform and said leg of the plate; an elongatedclamp swingably mounted intermediate its ends `on the upper margin ofone `of said sides of the platan elongated rod, one end of 'the rodbeing= pivotally connected to the outer end of said clam'p and the otherend of the rod being pivotally coupled with said leg of the plate, saidclamp being swingable to a'lo'c'ation 'clamping the animal in saidposition responsive to veyrtic'al'shifting of the platform toward thelower end of its vpath of travel under the weight of the animal an'dagainst the action of said coil springs.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein is provided bearings on theupper face 'of said leg ofthe plate receiving each ofsaid barsrespectively. the lower endof 1 each of the coil springs engaging theuppermost end of corresponding bearings.

5. Apparatus as set forth vin claim 4'wherei'n said plate is providedwith a substantially vertical leg, said vertical leg having an elongatedhook on 'the upper edge thereof.

6. Apparatus as set forth 4in claim 5 whereinis `pirovided resilientmaterial on the under 'face 'of said inner end of the clamp and adaptedto engage the animal.

7. In animal holding apparatus, a base; a trough-like platform mountedon=said base.forvertical shifting movement relative thereto and adaptedto supportan animal in an accessible position;'A clamp means swingablyconnected to said platform; and means interconnecting the base and said'c l'arnp means for swinging the latter from normally opendisposition-when no weight is on the platform, to alocation extendingacross the upper. open'portion of the platform and firmly-clamping theanimal, in response to vertical shiftingV movement 'of the platformunder the weight ofthe animal.

l8. Animal holding apparatus 'as'set forth in claim 7 whereinsaidmascauses theclamp means to be swung 5 through an arc directly proportionalto the weight of References Cited in the le of this patent the animal.

9. Animal holding apparatus as set forth in claim 8 UNITED STATESPATENTS wherein is provided spring means interposed between the1,404,173 Barnard I an. 17, 1922 base and said platform for biasing thelatter toward the 5 2,688,949 Butts Sept. 14, 1954 upper end of its pathof travel.

